ANSI President Signs MoU in Support of Greater U.S.-Russian Cooperation

17.05.2011

Making a formal commitment to cooperation in standardization activities, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Russian Federation’s Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology (GOST-R) came together on first week of May to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in support of greater U.S.-Russian cooperation. The signing took place during a visit to ANSI headquarters by Grigory Elkin, head of the Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology.

Signing the MoU. ANSI President and CEO S. Joe Bhatia and Russia Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology Head Grigory Elkin

Recognizing the key link between standards, conformance, and trade, the MOU seeks to establish future areas of cooperation between the two organizations with regard to collaborative programs, training, and bilateral visits.

The trade relationship between the U.S. and Russia is an important one. Building upon existing working relationships between the two countries’ standardization communities, the agreement recognizes the role that standards and conformance play in safeguarding consumer health and safety, protecting the environment, and promoting fair trade, economic growth, and innovation.

Under the MOU, ANSI and GOST-R will work to develop mutually supportive positions related to standards and conformity assessment. In particular, ANSI and GOST-R will work to foster a greater mutual understanding of their respective national standards activities, exchange views on international standardization, and explore the possibility of joint programs to support the training of standards experts and auditors. ANSI will also assist GOST-R in establishing relationships with interested U.S. standards development organizations.

Established in May 2004, the Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology is included in the federal executive bodies of the Russian Federation and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Energy.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international standards so that American products can be used worldwide. For example, standards ensure that people who own cameras can find the film they need for that camera anywhere around the globe.